<p>Sly, I think that you have addressed the reasons behind the “new” push to look abroad. In very simple terms, the world has become smaller and it is important for the leading US schools to also remain leading institutions on the international scene. </p>
<p>However, I do not really see this as making it tougher for domestic students that it has been. Candidates are evaluated against their peers and it is doubtful that the admissions’ criteria are truly identical. For instance, the expectations of string involvement in EC activities has to be different for citizens of countries where such activities are difficult. Also, grading systems and test scores are not necessarily comparable, especially in the verbal requirements. For instance, how well does a school expect a student who has to take the TOEFL to score on the SAT Writing? That is why the schools use a holistic approach. Assuming that foreign students are stronger requires a huge leap of faith!</p>
<p>In the end, it is extremely doubtful that a surge in foreign applicants will cause the bar to be raised for domestic students and will result in a displacement of domestic students. The biggest changes in ethnic redistribution will continue to take place within the domestic groups.</p>